I'm working on a series of erotic comics depicting a naked Gorsuch attempting to recover a trove of bleached love-letters between two FBI employees in order to save a fetus from death by five regulations.

“Humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries, but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity.”
— Bill Gates

I'm enjoying seeing your pointed silence re. the attacks on national security, law enforcement and some of the most important safeguards of democracy.

Should the FBI be attacked if they held Hillary Clinton to a different standard? Should the FBI as a *political institution* get flack for the unprofessional actions of Peter Strzok and his side piece?

It is entertaining that you feel parts of law enforcement should not be viewed skeptically.

I like how you mention that law enforcement is an important safeguard of democracy. I fully agree on that at least. Which is why it is all the more important that we leave no stone un-turned and that we ensure that institution isn't rotten with political bias.

Can someone catch me up on this - what's Strzok supposed to have done apart from express a critical opinion of Trump in a private communication?

We should die for the things we believe in, but live our lives in the dark self-deceiving.
In the snow, all the world that we knew is ice and so we are cold, dead and gone.
Shine a light till the dark sky is burning, wolves are howling and fortune is turning.
But our hearts and the words that we say are ice, and so we are cold, dead and gone.

Should the FBI be attacked if they held Hillary Clinton to a different standard? Should the FBI as a *political institution* get flack for the unprofessional actions of Peter Strzok and his side piece?

It is entertaining that you feel parts of law enforcement should not be viewed skeptically.

I like how you mention that law enforcement is an important safeguard of democracy. I fully agree on that at least. Which is why it is all the more important that we leave no stone un-turned and that we ensure that institution isn't rotten with political bias.

What's important is to not subvert the rule of law by attempting to obstruct or hamper an investigation involving powerful people that was launched through a bipartisan effort by legislators because of compelling evidence of attacks on a country's democratic process, not to mention reasonable suspicion of crimes committed by American nationals in influential positions. There is currently no evidence for dangerous institutional political bias at the FBI that is strong enough to justify undermining the investigation, and these partisan attacks on the FBI serve to inject precisely the kind of dangerous bias you say you want to weed out. If there is a rot, it can be found within a small but growing subsection of congress. Unlike gangsta rap, this bullshit jeopardizes your nation, and your infantile attempts to defend the indefensible only serve to expose your degeneracy.

“Humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries, but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity.”
— Bill Gates

"Records show Peter Strzok, who led the investigation of Clinton’s private email server as the second-highest-ranking official in the counterintelligence division, changed Comey’s draft language describing Clinton’s behavior as “grossly negligent” to “extremely careless,” a source told CNN."

Furthermore the concern is weather the FBI had already decided to clear Clinton prior to the investigation being finished. Which depending on what is uncovered could lead to perjury charges for Comey.

Now, given the way most things happen in Washington we won't see a whole lot of charges for anything however it would still be amusing political theory to watch Strzok plead the 5th since it makes him look guilty as all hell.

"Records show Peter Strzok, who led the investigation of Clinton’s private email server as the second-highest-ranking official in the counterintelligence division, changed Comey’s draft language describing Clinton’s behavior as “grossly negligent” to “extremely careless,” a source told CNN."

Furthermore the concern is weather the FBI had already decided to clear Clinton prior to the investigation being finished. Which depending on what is uncovered could lead to perjury charges for Comey.

Now, given the way most things happen in Washington we won't see a whole lot of charges for anything however it would still be amusing political theory to watch Strzok plead the 5th since it makes him look guilty as all hell.

Do you actually understanding what pleading the 5th is?

You still haven't said why on Earth you think he would do that, rather than just saying it would be amusing. What criminal offence do you think he could self-incriminate on that he would please the 5th over? Last I checked not liking your God Emperor is not actually a criminal offence.

Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer

Being upset is understandable, but be upset at yourself for poor planning, not at the world by acting like a spoiled bitch during an interview.

Question, what are your thoughts on Mueller? If you think he's doing good work then you believe his action to get rid of Strzok off the investigation was a good one.

It was a good decision, not because Strzok heads some sort of secret cabal but because 1. the risk of partisan attacks on the investigation due to the mere appearance of bias 2. the demonstration of poor character and 3. the risk that Strzok might be vulnerable to blackmail that might jeopardize the investigation.

That being said there are questions about what the 'insurance policy' he thought there was about the possibility of Trump being the president.

"Records show Peter Strzok, who led the investigation of Clinton’s private email server as the second-highest-ranking official in the counterintelligence division, changed Comey’s draft language describing Clinton’s behavior as “grossly negligent” to “extremely careless,” a source told CNN."

"His handling"? This was an alteration that was reviewed by everyone else involved, and accepted as the official position. The reason for this should be obvious: the "gross negligence" statutory wording is not compatible with the decision not to prosecute. The decision not to prosecute reflects the FBI's best and most thoroughly reasoned assessment of the situation at the time. The "gross negligence" wording would therefore have been wholly inappropriate from a legal standpoint.

Furthermore the concern is weather the FBI had already decided to clear Clinton prior to the investigation being finished. Which depending on what is uncovered could lead to perjury charges for Comey.

Comey and others had determined before the entire investigation was complete that they could not prosecute Clinton under any specific statutes because they could not prove guilty intent or that she believed the information would be used against US interests. You may disagree with his interpretation of the law and his knowledge of how these statutes had previously been interpreted and by the DoJ, but the disagreement isn't such that the "wrong" interpretation would land anyone in court--let alone jail.

Now, given the way most things happen in Washington we won't see a whole lot of charges for anything however it would still be amusing political theory to watch Strzok plead the 5th since it makes him look guilty as all hell.

The only people looking guilty here are Trump & Co. and their enablers in congress. You, meanwhile, are looking increasingly corrupt.

“Humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries, but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity.”
— Bill Gates

Question, what are your thoughts on Mueller? If you think he's doing good work then you believe his action to get rid of Strzok off the investigation was a good one.

Justice must be impartial, but must also be seen to be impartial. After the text messages were released and the GOP decided to make a thing of them it was better to get rid of him than have them use him as an excuse to undermine the probe.

I mean, they're going to do that anyway but no sense in making their lives easier.

That being said there are questions about what the 'insurance policy' he thought there was about the possibility of Trump being the president.

I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy’s office for that there’s no way he gets elected—but I’m afraid we can’t take that risk. It’s like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you’re 40 …

This probably refers to the Trump-Russia investigation which was getting started at the time of the text. I suggest that this is probably referring to how vigorously/aggressively they should pursue the investigation. The person on the other end of the text probably said 'hey we can take it slow, no reason to think this assclown will win', hence his in hindsight rather prescient response.

I reckon that FBI agents probably don't discuss top sekrit deep stat black ops to depose a legitimately elected president of the united states in unecrypted text messages using phrases liked 'insurance policy'

"Records show Peter Strzok, who led the investigation of Clinton’s private email server as the second-highest-ranking official in the counterintelligence division, changed Comey’s draft language describing Clinton’s behavior as “grossly negligent” to “extremely careless,” a source told CNN."

Furthermore the concern is weather the FBI had already decided to clear Clinton prior to the investigation being finished. Which depending on what is uncovered could lead to perjury charges for Comey.

Is there anyreason at all to think this? Why would the FBI do that?

Now, given the way most things happen in Washington we won't see a whole lot of charges for anything however it would still be amusing political theory to watch Strzok plead the 5th since it makes him look guilty as all hell.

What... what do you think he's going to plead the 5th for? Thinking Trump is an ass?

The only thing that's amusing here is how quickly you've brought into this incredibly transparent Republican to manufacture a 'scandal' at the FBI over absolutely fuck all. I mean, they've got shit all except a few texts bitching about Trump and various others, and they've somehow turned this into Paul Fucking Ryan saying 'we need a purge of the FBI' and you're sat there going 'well, this seems legit'.

I don't generally have a very high opinion of you, but even I thought you were a bit better than this.

Last edited by Steely Glint; 02-01-2018 at 09:54 PM.

We should die for the things we believe in, but live our lives in the dark self-deceiving.
In the snow, all the world that we knew is ice and so we are cold, dead and gone.
Shine a light till the dark sky is burning, wolves are howling and fortune is turning.
But our hearts and the words that we say are ice, and so we are cold, dead and gone.

Well the affair proves he's a liar and a cheat. That shows his lack of character but isn't illegal.

So, what you're saying is, he should run for POTUS?

We should die for the things we believe in, but live our lives in the dark self-deceiving.
In the snow, all the world that we knew is ice and so we are cold, dead and gone.
Shine a light till the dark sky is burning, wolves are howling and fortune is turning.
But our hearts and the words that we say are ice, and so we are cold, dead and gone.

There is some evidence suggesting the FBI had determined, before the investigation had been concluded--not before it had begun, mind you--that they probably could not bring charges against Clinton on this matter, based on their understanding of how the relevant statutes had been interpreted by the DoJ in the past.

“Humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries, but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity.”
— Bill Gates

There is some evidence suggesting the FBI had determined, before the investigation had been concluded--not before it had begun, mind you--that they probably could not bring charges against Clinton on this matter, based on their understanding of how the relevant statutes had been interpreted by the DoJ in the past.

Which is not unreasonable. It is rare towards the end of any investigation to not have already concluded how it is going, but you still need to complete the investigation.

To literally have no clue how an investigation is going before the very end of it is extremely rare and unusual.

Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer

Being upset is understandable, but be upset at yourself for poor planning, not at the world by acting like a spoiled bitch during an interview.

We should die for the things we believe in, but live our lives in the dark self-deceiving.
In the snow, all the world that we knew is ice and so we are cold, dead and gone.
Shine a light till the dark sky is burning, wolves are howling and fortune is turning.
But our hearts and the words that we say are ice, and so we are cold, dead and gone.